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For California’s November 3, 2026 general election, choose the voting method that fits your schedule, access needs, and preferred way to return a ballot. Active registered voters will be mailed a ballot, but you can vote at an in-person location instead. A mailed ballot may be returned by mail or delivered in person; the deadlines differ.
At a glance: how the options compare
| Factor | In-person voting | Voting by mail |
|---|---|---|
| When | On Election Day, November 3, polls are open 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Early voting is available in all counties, but dates, hours, and sites vary. | You can mark the ballot at home. Mail it early enough to meet the postmark and receipt rules, or deliver it in person by the Election Day cutoff. |
| How to cast or return it | Vote at a polling place, vote center, or other designated in-person voting location. | Return the completed ballot in its postage-paid envelope, or deliver it to an official drop box, polling place, vote center, or county elections office. |
| Accessibility | Voting locations offer accessible voting machines and language assistance; confirm county-specific arrangements. | Remote Accessible Vote by Mail (RAVBM) lets eligible voters use compatible technology to mark selections, then print and return them. It is not online ballot submission. |
| Ballot-status updates | The state voter-status tool can show whether a vote was counted. | “Where’s My Ballot?” offers text, email, or voice notifications about ballot mailing, receipt, counting, or processing issues. Status notices do not replace meeting the deadline or completing the envelope correctly. |
For local locations and hours, use the California Secretary of State’s ways-to-vote information or contact your county elections office.
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Which method fits your situation?
Consider in-person voting if
- You prefer to cast your ballot at a voting location or want access to help there.
- You missed the regular registration deadline and need conditional voter registration. You can register conditionally and vote at a county elections office, vote center, or polling place on or before Election Day.
- You would rather hand-deliver a completed vote-by-mail ballot than send it through the postal system. In-person delivery has an 8 p.m. Election Day deadline.
Consider voting by mail if
- You want to mark your ballot at home and can return it on time.
- You can mail it early enough for an Election Day postmark, or can deliver it to an official location by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- You want to use RAVBM with compatible technology to mark selections independently and privately, and can print and return the ballot.
Neither method is universally better. Your county’s available sites and schedules, your own access needs, and how you plan to return the ballot are the practical deciding factors.
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| Date or deadline | What it means |
|---|---|
| October 5 | Counties must begin mailing ballots to active registered voters no later than this date. Secure ballot drop-off locations open by this date. |
| October 19 | Regular online voter-registration deadline. After it, conditional voter registration is available at designated county locations through Election Day. |
| October 24 | First vote centers open in counties participating in the Voter’s Choice Act. Check the schedule for a specific center. |
| October 31 | In-person early-voting locations throughout California will be open Saturday; hours and sites vary. |
| November 3, Election Day | Polling locations are open 7 a.m.–8 p.m. A ballot delivered in person must arrive at an official drop-off location, polling place, vote center, or county elections office by 8 p.m. |
| Up to seven days after Election Day | A mailed ballot must be received by the county within this period, but it must be postmarked on or before November 3. |
These dates and hours are for the November 3, 2026 general election. Confirm a specific site’s schedule with the state’s election information and your county.
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If you return your ballot by mail
- Complete the ballot and place it in the return envelope provided.
- Seal the envelope, then sign and date it as directed. An unsigned envelope or a signature issue can prevent a ballot from being counted.
- Mail it early. The Secretary of State recommends mailing at least seven days before Election Day. The return envelope has prepaid First-Class postage; USPS gives a general delivery estimate of 2–5 days, not a guarantee for an individual ballot.
- If mailing on November 3, get a manual postmark from a postal employee inside a U.S. Post Office. The ballot still needs to reach the county within seven days after Election Day.
- Use “Where’s My Ballot?” or the state voter-status tool to check for updates. Tracking does not extend the deadline or correct an envelope that was not properly completed.
For official envelope, postage, and ballot-status guidance, see the Secretary of State’s USPS Frequently Asked Questions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If you prefer not to mail a completed ballot
You may personally deliver it to a county elections office, polling place, vote center, or official ballot drop-off location. It must be delivered by 8 p.m. on November 3. These return locations are different from mailing a ballot: the seven-day post-election receipt period applies to ballots sent through the mail, not ballots delivered in person.
Drop boxes are subject to state requirements for visible official marking, protection against unauthorized access and tampering, and controlled access to locks or keys. Regulations also specify accessibility features. These are documented safeguards, not an absolute guarantee. Find available sites through the state’s ways-to-vote locator and information.
Accessible options: in person and remotely
Remote Accessible Vote by Mail
The Secretary of State describes RAVBM as a way for voters to mark selections “using their own compatible technology to vote independently and privately in the comfort of their own home.” The voter downloads an application, marks the ballot, prints the selections, signs the return envelope, and returns the printed ballot by mail or at a voting location. Ballots cannot be submitted online. The state’s certified systems include Five Cedars Group Alternate Format Ballot v5.2.1, Democracy Live Secure Select 1.2.2, Liberty Vote ImageCast Remote 5.19, and Los Angeles County Interactive Sample Ballot 4.0; check the current RAVBM information for the latest certification details.
Accessible in-person voting
The Secretary of State says voting locations offer accessible voting machines and language assistance. Arrangements and availability can vary by county and site, so contact your county elections office about the support you need.
How to know whether your ballot was counted
For a vote-by-mail ballot, sign up for “Where’s My Ballot?” notifications by text, email, or voice to receive updates when it is mailed, received, counted, or has a processing issue. You can also use the state voter-status tool to check whether your vote was counted. If a notice reports a problem, follow the instructions from your county elections office; notifications are status information, not a substitute for a valid return.
The Secretary of State reports that 98.57% of vote-by-mail ballots were counted in California’s June 2, 2026 Primary Election. The same FAQ says ballots were rejected for being late, missing a signature, or having a signature that did not match the voter’s registration. That figure is specific to that primary; it is not a forecast for November 2026 or a comparison with in-person voting. See the state’s vote-by-mail FAQ for the cited information.
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Quick Recap
Make your plan
- Choose whether to vote at a location or mark the mailed ballot at home.
- Check the official locator or call your county elections office for current hours, early-voting dates, drop boxes, and accessibility arrangements.
- If mailing a ballot, complete and sign the envelope and mail it early; if you cannot, plan to deliver it in person by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- If voting in person, confirm your location and hours. On November 3, polls are open 7 a.m.–8 p.m.
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